UAE Announces Six Major Visa Rule Changes Introduced in 2026
- The UAE has introduced six major visa and residency changes in 2026, including an expanded visa-on-arrival programme, faster tourist visa approvals and updated property investor rules
- Dubai announced that eligible tourists could obtain single-entry tourist visas within 48 hours, while authorities also revised the conditions for two-year property-linked residency permits
- The UAE suspended new visa issuance to nationals of three Ebola-affected countries and granted a temporary grace period for certain visitors affected by earlier regional flight disruptions
The United Arab Emirates has introduced a series of visa and residency reforms in 2026, affecting tourists, property investors, medical travellers and visitors from several countries.
The changes, announced at different times during the year by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, ICP, and Dubai authorities, are aimed at streamlining entry procedures, improving residency pathways and strengthening public health measures.
Source: Getty Images
What are the latest UAE visa changes?
According to Khaleej Times, one of the most significant updates is the expansion of the UAE's visa-on-arrival programme. Previously available only to eligible Indian nationals, the scheme has now been extended to citizens of Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Kenya and South Africa.
Authorities have also broadened the list of countries whose residency permits qualify applicants for the facility.
Besides the United States, the United Kingdom and European Union member states, eligible travellers may now also hold valid residency in Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand or Canada.
Another major development is the introduction of a faster tourist visa process in Dubai. The General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs, GDRFA, announced that single-entry tourist visas can now be approved within 48 hours when applications are submitted through authorised tourism offices.
The visas remain valid for stays ranging from 30 to 60 days.
Source: Getty Images
How have residency rules changed?
Dubai has also revised the eligibility criteria for its two-year property-linked residency visa.
Under the updated policy, the previous minimum property value requirement of Dh750,000 for sole property owners has been removed. Applicants must, however, be the exclusive owner of the property to qualify.
For jointly owned properties, each owner's share must be worth at least Dh400,000 before they can apply for the residency permit.
The ICP also granted a temporary 30-day grace period to visitors who had been exempted from overstay fines because of regional airspace disruptions. Eligible individuals have been instructed to regularise their immigration status or leave the country before the July 9 deadline.
What other visa measures were introduced?
Dubai has unveiled plans to introduce a smart medical visa under a new partnership between the GDRFA and the Dubai Health Authority.
The initiative is expected to simplify travel for international patients by integrating visa processing with healthcare services from arrival through treatment and follow-up care.
The UAE has also suspended the issuance of new visas to nationals of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and South Sudan as part of precautionary measures against the spread of the Ebola virus.
The suspension took effect on June 6, 2026, following a joint announcement by the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority and the ICP.
Authorities said the measure may remain in force depending on developments in the public health situation.
The latest reforms reflect the UAE's continued efforts to balance easier access for genuine travellers with updated residency policies and safeguards aimed at protecting public health and national security.
UAE bans social media use for children
Legit.ng previously reported that the United Arab Emirates announced a ban on social media use for children under the age of 15, with platforms required to monitor and disable accounts created by underage users or risk being blocked in the country.
The UAE’s official WAM news agency announced the measure, citing a cabinet resolution that sets 15 as the minimum age for social media use.
Source: Legit.ng
